Valve assembly



Dec. 12, 1961 J. R. BUCK VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 14, 1958 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. Jl/VELS 2. 806A BY lqwe, km

United States Patent 3,012,752 V VALVE ASSEMBLY V I James R. Buck,WestNew York, N.J., assignor to Becton Dickinson and Company,Rutherford, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Aug. 14, 1958, Ser.No. 755,025 3 Claims. (Cl. 251-309) This invention relates to astructurally and functionally improved assembly especially intended foruse inthe medical field, and by means of which the flow of fluid may beproperly controlled.

It is a primary object to furnish an assembly, preferably includingreusable and discar'dable parts. The former may readily be cleaned andsterilized. The latter will be of such economical construction thatafter a single use they may be discarded or destroyed. Thereupon, withthe reusable parts of the assemblies cleaned and sterilized and with theother parts replaced by new and sterile units, complete and operativeassemblies are readily provided. -Consequently, the danger of infectionarising through the reuse of parts which are not easily cleaned andsterilized, is avoided.

In its more specific aspects the present invention provides a medicalstopcock assembly capable of use with various units of apparatus for thetreatment of patients and foi' generallaboratory work. Such a stopcockassembly will include relatively few parts, capable of readymanufacture, and which parts may be assembled with facility to furnishan improvedunit. p

Also, the structure of that unit may be modified where necessary, inthat it may be advantageously employed in uses outside the medical andlaboratory fields. Therefore, except where otherwise limited by theclaims, the present teachings may be advantageously employed in thevalving and control of fluids and liquids generally.

With these and other objects in mind, reference is had to the attachedsheets of drawings illustrating one practical embodiment of theinvention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembly of the medical type andinvolving a stopcock;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view in enlarged scale, taken along theline 22 in the direction of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 3;

BIG. 3 is a sectional plan view of the device;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary and partly sectional view showing the componentsof a medical stopcock assembly in separated condition; and 7 FIG. is asomewhat schematic view of alayout of apparatus including a unit of thetype shown in the preceding figures.

Referring primarily to FIG. 5, the stopcock assembly has been generallyindicated at 10 and will be hereinafter described in detail. To one sideor branch of this assembly there may be connected a unit such as thebarrel 11 of a hypodermic syringe. To another side, and by means of asuitable fitting such as 12, a tube 13 is connectible. This tube mayconveniently extend from a source of liquid supply (not shown). By meansof an additional fitting 14 a tube 15 may be coupled to a third side ofthe stopcock assembly. This tube can conveniently connect at its outerend with a needle of the hypodermic type. As will be understood byrelatively shifting the parts of the stopcock, the flow of liquid may beinterrupted or caused to move along elected paths.

Now, referring to the illustrated stopcock embodiment of the invention,it will be seen in FIGS. 1 to 4 that the numeral 16 identifies thecasing of the valve, provided with a central bore 17, from whichpassages 18 extend to terminate in fittings 19, 20 and 21 or equivalentcou- Patented Dec. 12, 1961 .IQQ

A ling portions. This bore is preferably flared adjacent its ends.Throughout its entire central zone, and including the area within whichpassages 18 are disposed, it is truly cylindrical. As shown, fitting 19is of a'type such that the tip end of the syringe 11 may be connectedtherewith. The bore of fitting 20 conveniently receives and frictionallyengages with the surface of element \12. Element 14 will, on the otherhand, present a socket the surface of which is engaged by fitting 21 toretain it against accidental detachment and at the same time "to assurea leakproof seal between the parts.

It will be noted in the present illustration that the stopcock or valveassembly furnishes three: passages. While in many respects a standardassembly may preferably include this number, 'a lesser or even; greaternumber of passages may be furnished. Accordingly, the valve body 22has'been shown as. including a channel or groove 24 for the flow andcontrol of fluid and which is proportioned and arranged to properlygovern the passage of the liquid through the three openings or ports'18; Obviously, if a greater or lesser number of these passages exist ina given installation, the valve body and casing may have theirconstruction correspondingly modi fied. Also, if a valve assemblydifferent from that of a stopcock is employed, both the casing and valvebody may be redesigned to meet the requirements of a given installation.

As illustrated, the valve body or key 22 will include a sleeve portionpresenting a bore 23; the channel 24 extending throughout-slightly morethan half its circum ference and being isolated from that bore.Throughout the zone with which this body is in contact with the surfaceof the casing bore 17, it is truly cylindrical. Body 22 is made of asuitable elastic material; Such material may be polyethylene, polyvinylchloride or nylon. Variations of these plastics may also be employed, asmay, additionally, any other plastic with suitable characteristics. Atits outer end, body 22 may be expanded to define an outstanding bead 25.

The casing 16 is formed of a metal such as aluminum, stainless steel orchromium-plated brass. Otherwise, it is formed of a suitableplastic'material, such as nylon, polystyrene, etc. The diameter of thebore 17 of this part is preferably exactly equal to the diameter of thekey or body22, as indicated in FIG. 4. Under certain circumstances thevalve body may even have a di ameter slightly in excess of that of bore17. Both this body and bore 17, throughout at least the major zones oftheir operative lengths, are truly cylindrical. As a practical matterthe diameter of the valve body may be .250"-0+.002. The diameter of thebore may be .250" .0005+0. The diameter of the bead 25 would approxlmate.253".

In the case of an all-metal assembly as heretofore constructed, the body22 would not, of course, have a diameter equal to that of bore 17.However, accord ing to the present teaching, by forming the body 22 of,for example, thermoplastic material having flexibility and/orelasticity, the key may be inserted into the bore without difliculty.

So inserted, it will remain in position. No screws, clips or otherholding elements or expedients need be employed, in that the body 22will be retained by friction contact at its end zones. The valve body 22may be inserted through either end of bore 17 to a position at which itsgroove or other controlling passage is in line with the zone of passagesor ports 18. It is to be noted that this is feasible because these portsare located centrally of the casing bore ends and that channel 24 isdisposed an equal distance from the flange 28 or equivalent end portionof the valve body to limit the projec- 3 tion of the latter into saidbore. By providing the bore 23, the flexibility of the valve isincreased, so that it will properly coact with the surfaces of bore 17.

One valve body will fit different types of casings. In other words,casing 16 may be provided in various classifications involving differentcombinations of outlets, fitting and adaptors. However, valve body maybe of a single uniform type. It is apparent that the bore 17 of thecasing may be straight drilled and reamed. The plastic key may bemolded, Without other finishing operations.

In the interests of economy, a handle may form an integral part of thevalve body. This has been shown at 26. The handle portion is continuedto close the adjacent end of bore 23. A head assembly including aportion 27 is conveniently included as an integral part of body 22, andmay be serrated, as illustrated. Also, it is in many instances desirableto include a flange 28 as part of the head assembly at a pointintermediate the zone of portion 27 and valve body 22. This will bearagainst the edge surface of casing 16 and function as a stop to limitthe insertion of body 22 into the bore.

This flange 28 in conveniently interrupted throughout a desired arcuatelength and may cooperate with a portion of casing 16 or an extensionthereof, in order to furnish a stop limiting the rotation of the valvebody within bore 17. The latter, together with the valve body, could betapered to a very slight extent, if it were permissible and desirable tofurnish a structure in which the key or body was not intended to beoptionally inserted into either end of the bore. Indicia in the form ofribs 29, or any other convenient markings, may be exposed on the outerface of the handle 26 and head portion 27. These will serve to indicatethe direction in which the passage or groove 24 of the valve bodyextends. It is apparent that if a reversal of the part is resorted to,i.e., if the valve body is introduced into the opposite end of bore 17 adifferent flow characteristic through the valve assembly will beachieved.

Obviously, no difliculty will be experienced in sterilizing the parts ofthe assembly. During use, the direction of flow of the liquid may beaccurately controlled. Also, this flow may be interrupted when desired.After use, the valve body may simply be withdrawn from the bore 17 anddiscarded. It will be quite simple to effect a thorough cleansing andsterilization of the more expensive parts of the assembly involving thecasing 16 should the latter involve a reusable structure. Thereafter, anew and sterilized valve body may be suitably inserted into the bore 17,so that the assembly will be instantly ready for further use.

As afore brought out, in addition to a valve assembly of the stopcocktype, various other forms of flow-controlling structures may be providedwithin the scope of the teachings of the present invention.

Thus, among others, the several objects of the invention as specificallyaforenoted are achieved. Obviously, numerous changes in construction andrearrangements of the parts may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A stopcock type valve including in combination: a rigid casing formedwith an axially extended bore having outwardly flared end zones, 'saidcasing also formed with a plurality of fluid conducting passagesextending radially of its axis and afiording communication between saidbore in its intermediate zone and the exterior of said casing; and arotatable valve body extending through said casing in said bore andformed of a compressible elastic material, said valve body being undercompression along that por tion of its surface in contact with the boresurface of said casing in said intermediate zone with the end portionsof said body being expanded in said outwardly flared end zones wherebysaid valve body is maintained within said casing, said valve body beingfurther formed with a channel extending partially around itscircumference and disposed in the plane of said fluid conductingpassages and said channel being arranged upon a selective rotation ofsaid body to establish communication between a plurality of saidpassages.

2. In a valve as defined in claim 1, the bore of the casing extendingthroughout the entire length of the latter, the passages being disposedin an area midway between the end zones of said bore, said body beingoptionally insertable into the body through either end of the bore, anend assembly mounted by said body and engaging a surface of the casingto limit projection of the body into the bore and said channel aligningwith the passages with said body so inserted.

3. In a valve as defined in claim 1 and a circumferential bead forming apart of said body at one of the expanded ends thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,271,349 Saurer Jan. 27, 1942 2,433,732 Brown Dec. 30, 1947 2,554,489Crane May 29, 1951 2,711,846 Birchall et al. June 28, 1955 2,832,562Myers Apr. 29, 1958 2,854,027 Kaiser Sept. 30, 1958 2,936,777 KistnerMay 17, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 79,452 Norway June 30, 1952 1,116,548France Feb. 26, 1956 1,133,818 France Nov. 26, 1956

